Methods for removal of oil and other contaminants from water

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to compositions and methods for separating oil and other contaminants (particularly oleophilic compounds) from water and other carriers. The invention is particularly useful for separating oil and other oleophilic compounds from bilgewater and other wastewater. The compositions typically comprise a hydrocarbon resin and a drying oil. The compounds in the composition are typically combined in an organic solvent. For example, hydrocarbon resin and tung oil are optionally combined into a naphtha solvent. The invention is particularly useful for separating emulsified oil from water, whether oil in water emulsions or water in oil emulsions.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to compositions and methods for separating oil and other contaminants from water, such as bilgewater and other wastewater. The invention is particularly useful for separating emulsified oil from water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Oil pollution is a serious environmental concern in shipping, the oil production industry and on industrial lands using heavy machinery or oil storage that contaminates groundwater. Many chemical and mechanical strategies have been utilized to remediate oil contamination, such as booms, skimmers, pumps, dispersants, absorbents and phytoremediation. Each of these techniques has limitations, such as cost or inability to remove all types of oil. For example, none of these techniques has been satisfactory in dealing with emulsified oil in water. Oil is often spilled into soil and ground water from ruptured storage tanks. The most commonly spilled oil is crude oil, which is sometimes spilled accidentally, for example, after a ship collision, but more commonly enters the environment when ships empty bilge tanks. The behaviour of oil in water depends on the type of oil as well as conditions such as water and air temperature, wave motion and wind. Spilled oil will typically spread out, the lighter, more volatile components of oil will evaporate and wave movements will mix water into the oil creating a heavy and sticky emulsion (typically a water in oil emulsion). This type of emulsion, called a mechanical emulsion, is difficult to remove from water.

There is also a particular need for compositions that separate chemical emulsions from water. These emulsions form in oily water when surfactants, such as detergents, are present along with the oil. For example, detergents used to clean ships often wind up in wastewater in bilge tanks along with crude oil. Detergents have an oleophilic hydrocarbon chain and a hydrophilic head. When detergent contacts oil, the oleophilic portion of the surfactant adheres to the oil and the hydrophilic portion remains attracted to water. Therefore, chemical process associated with creation of such emulsions result in the oil molecules becoming partially or wholly surrounded by surfactant molecules, preventing the oil molecules from contacting other oil droplets or coalescing surfaces to allow them to coalesce. For this reason, chemically emulsified oil is very difficult to remove from water.

Existing oil separation technologies which utilize passive treatment processes are ineffective at separating chemically emulsified oils, those formed by the interaction of oily water with surfactants. At present the only practical ways of removing such emulsions in industry involve active treatment measures such as addition of de-emulsifying chemicals to break the chemical emulsions. Another approach involves addition of chemicals to attach to the surface of the surfactant/oil particles so as to change their density relative to the carrier fluid, so they can be separated more easily by gravity. Membrane filtration systems are also used such as systems in which the pore spaces of the membrane are so small that it can filter out surfactant/oil molecules from the water. There are also various forms of coagulation/filtration processes which use chemicals to agglomerate the surfactant/oil molecules so they can be separated more easily by gravity separation. All of these processes involve significant capital, operational and maintenance costs, as well as handling and disposal issues for the chemicals being used. This has led industry to search for easier and more efficient passive solutions for separating chemically emulsified oils from water. There remains a need for simple, inexpensive absorbent which can capture any type of oil and other oleophilic compounds, including oils that are very difficult to separate from water, such as mechanically or chemically emulsified oil. As well, there is a need for a simple and effective oil separator which can be installed next to industrial equipment, such as on a ship so that that oil can be collected and properly disposed of so that it does not enter waste water, such as bilgewater.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to compositions and methods for separating oil and other contaminants (particularly oleophilic compounds) from water and other carriers. The invention is particularly useful for separating oil and other oleophilic compounds from bilgewater and other wastewater. The compositions typically comprise a hydrocarbon resin and a drying oil. The compounds in the composition are typically combined in an organic solvent. For example, hydrocarbon resin and tung oil are optionally combined into a naphtha solvent. The invention is particularly useful for separating emulsified oil from water, whether oil in water emulsions or water in oil emulsions. The compositions separate both mechanical emulsions and chemical emulsions from water. The compositions are particularly useful to remove mechanically emulsified or chemically emulsified hydrocarbon compounds from water and then release them in a coalesced form as free-floating oil. Another aspect of the invention relates to media impregnated with compositions of the invention. In an embodiment, the invention relates to a filter or separator comprising the aforementioned media. The invention also includes an apparatus for separating oil and other contaminants. The invention also includes the use of the compositions of the invention for preparation of media, a filter or a separator for separating oil and other contaminants, such as oleophilic compounds, from a carrier. The invention also includes the use of the compositions, media, filter, separator and apparatus of the invention for separating oil and other contaminants, such as oleophilic compounds from a carrier, typically water.

The invention relates to a composition comprising a hydrocarbon resin and a drying oil. The hydrocarbon resin optionally comprises an aliphatic hydrocarbon resin. The hydrocarbon resin optionally comprises a petroleum hydrocarbon resin. The drying oil comprises tung oil, linseed oil, poppy oil, walnut oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, soybean oil, sardine oil, herring oil or safflower oil.

The composition optionally further comprises a solvent, such as an organic solvent, capable of dissolving the hydrocarbon resin and the drying oil. In one example, the hydrocarbon resin comprises an aliphatic hydrocarbon resin, the drying oil comprises tung oil and the organic solvent comprises naphtha.

In one embodiment, the volume of hydrocarbon resin in the composition is less than the volume of tung oil in the composition. The hydrocarbon resin and tung oil are optionally combined in a volume ratio of about 1:2. The hydrocarbon resin, tung oil and naphtha are optionally combined a volume ratio of about 1:2:20. The optionally further comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of teak oil, petroleum resin and rosin.

Another aspect of the invention relates to media impregnated with a composition of the invention. Another aspect of the invention relates to a filter or separator comprising media impregnated with a composition of the invention, such as a hydrocarbon resin, a drying oil and a solvent. The media optionally comprises fluid-permeable media. The media optionally comprises perlite or polypropylene.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of separating oil or other compounds (e.g. an oleophilic compound, phenols, grease, ammonia, sulfides, heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls and methyl tertiary butyl ether), from a carrier comprising:

-   -   contacting the oil and carrier with a composition of the         invention, the media of the invention, or the filter or         separator of an the invention;     -   separating the carrier from the composition, media, filter or         separator, wherein the oil is retained on the media.

The carrier is optionally separated from the filter or separator by flowing the carrier under pressure through the composition, media, filter or separator. The water pressure is 100 psi or less. The carrier optionally comprises water and the oil separated from the carrier comprises emulsified oil. The emulsified oil optionally comprises a mechanical emulsion or a chemical emulsion.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of separating emulsified oil (or other emulsified oleophilic compounds) from a carrier such as water, comprising:

-   -   contacting the emulsified oil and water with media of the         invention, or the filter or separator comprising the media;     -   separating the water from the media, filter or separator,         wherein the emulsified oil is retained on the media, filter or         separator;     -   contacting additional oil and water with the media, filter or         separator until the media, filter or separator becomes saturated         with oil and releases free floating oil into the water;     -   collecting the free floating oil.

The water typically flows through the media and the free floating oil is released into water downstream of the media, filter or separator. The free floating oil is optionally collected from the downstream water. The oil is collected by gravity oil water separation.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only. Various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to compositions and methods for separating oil and other contaminants (particularly oleophilic compounds) from water and other carriers. It is particularly useful for separating oil and other oleophilic compounds from bilgewater and other wastewater. The invention advantageously separates emulsified oil from water, whether oil-in-water emulsions or water-in-oil emulsions.

Other aspects of the invention relate to media comprising compositions of the invention and a filter or separator comprising the aforementioned media. The invention also includes an apparatus for separating oil and other oleophilic compounds from water.

The invention optionally provides a composition comprising a hydrocarbon resin and a drying oil. The hydrocarbon resin is optionally a petroleum hydrocarbon resin. The hydrocarbon resin is optionally an aliphatic hydrocarbon resin, for example, a low molecular weight hydrocarbon resin having a low softening point. In one example, the hydrocarbon resin is optionally Nevtac 10 resin (Neville Chemical Company) which has a softening point about 10° C. (plus or minus 5° C.), specific gravity at 25° C. of about 0.95, molecular weight of about 225, negligible solubility in water and a viscosity of about 68,000 (one of skill in the art will recognize that other aliphatic hydrocarbon resins having similar properties, for example, having at least one of the aforementioned values increased or decreased by 10% or less or 5% or less will also be useful). Low molecular weight gives high tack and low solution viscosities. Aliphatic hydrocarbon resins also offer heat and color stability, resistance to ultraviolet light, acids and alkalis as well as compatibility with oils. The drying oil optionally comprises tung oil (optionally 100% pure tung oil) and may be any suitable oil, such as Tung Oil LV120 oil (L.V. Lomas; chinawood oil, CAS No. 8001-20-5) or Minwax Tung Oil Protective Finish tung oil (Minwax Company). Other examples of drying oils include linseed oil, poppy oil, walnut oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, soybean oil, sardine oil, herring oil and safflower oil. The hydrocarbon resin and the drying oil are typically dissolved in an organic solvent. The organic solvent substantially or completely evaporates during a subsequent curing process to form cured composition. Naphtha, such as naphtha based fuel, is an example of a useful organic solvent. An example of a useful naphtha based fuel would be Imperial brand naphtha, which is an aliphatic hydrocarbon, light naphtha-hydrotreated, having CAS number 64742-49-0 and a density of about 0.68 kg/L at 15 C. Other volatile organic solvents (typically obtained from petroleum distillates) that are capable of dissolving hydrocarbon resin and drying oil, such as tung oil are also useful.

In one embodiment, hydrocarbon resin is mixed with tung oil and camp fuel (naphtha). The proportions and order of mixture of each of these ingredients is variable. The volume of tung oil combined in the composition is typically greater than the volume of hydrocarbon resin. In one example, hydrocarbon resin and tung oil are mixed in a ratio of approximately 1:2 respectively (33% by volume and 67% by volume). These compounds are optionally heated, for example to at least 50° C., 75° C. or 100° C. to obtain better mixing properties. The hydrocarbon resin/tung oil composition is then optionally mixed with naphtha in a ratio of about 1:7 respectively (12.5% by volume and 87.5% by volume) to form the impregnation composition (i.e. the hydrocarbon resin, tung oil and naphtha are combined in a volume ratio of about 1:2:20 respectively (4.3% by volume, 8.7% by volume and 87% by volume)). Other suitable organic solvents useful instead naphtha will be readily apparent. It will also be readily apparent that amounts of the hydrocarbon resin, drying oil and solvent are readily increased or decreased, for example, by increasing or decreasing volume of one or more compounds by 75% or less or 50% or less or 25% or less or 10% or less than the amounts in the above ratios. Colouring agent, such as paint pigment, is optionally added to colour the impregnation composition. The colour has the advantage of allowing one to determine that the composition has been fully absorbed by the media. The final composition is optionally referred to as an impregnation composition that may be impregnated in any suitable media, such as perlite or polypropylene, to form impregnated media. The impregnated media is then cured by drying, for example by air drying and/or oven drying (for example, one may use a drying time of 8 wks at room temperature, or a drying time of at least 30 mins at 300 degrees Fahrenheit). Much of the naphtha evaporates during the curing process.

The compositions optionally include one or more of teak oil, rosin or petroleum resin, such as a aromatic hydrocarbon petroleum resin (e.g. Nevchem LR Resin; liquid hydrocarbon petroleum resin from the petroleum hydrocarbon family having a specific gravity of 1.016@30° C. and a boiling point of 325° C.).

The composition is useful in liquid form on oil spills (e.g. ocean or freshwater lake oil spills) and similar applications, to coalesce and coagulate the oil to prevent it from dispersing, and aid in the clean up (media impregnated with the compositions not necessary). The composition is also usefully applied to oil absorbent booms, mats and pads of various types for use in oil spill containment and recovery, including removal of sheens from water. The composition is also optionally used with existing coalescer plate for coalescing oil and other similar technologies to improve the oil removal ability of those technologies, for example, by applying the composition to the coalescer plates themselves. Coalescer plates are generally impermeable to water and oil. They generally rely on two factors to make them useful as coalescer plates (1) their surface is ‘oleophilic’ meaning they have a natural affinity for oil, a property that is shared by a number of naturally occurring materials, such as plastic, polyurethane etc (2) they are typically oriented in an upwardly angled position, sometimes with frequent changes in direction of the plates, to take advantage of physical processes of coalescing whereby the oil molecule is encouraged to float up near the surface of the material, or hit it due to flow direction changes, so that it will stick to the coalescing surface. In addition to coalescer plates, coalescing beads are optionally used. These beads work on the same principle of trying to get the oil molecules close enough to a naturally attractive surface to adhere to the surface. Coalescing materials are typically made of a material that originated from oil (like plastics etc) and are oleophilic.

The composition is also useful for removal of non-oil related compounds that are contaminants, such as heavy metals, PCB's, ammonia, sulfides, phenols etc. The methods of the invention described with respect to oil removal are readily adapted by contacting water or other carriers that contain one or more of these contaminants with the compositions of the invention.

The invention relates to compositions which are readily applied to practically any substrate material for removing oil and other contaminants from water and other aqueous phase liquids. The compositions are also useful in liquid form for coalescing oil products. In addition to hydrocarbons, the compositions have an affinity for other materials such as phenols, grease, ammonia, sulphides, heavy metals, PCB's (polychlorinated biphenyls), MTBE's (methyl tertiary butyl ether) and related compounds, and are useful in different types of equipment, such as filters or separators, to decrease the concentration of such products in the carrier.

The composition, when applied to a substrate material, appears to attract oil molecules and other contaminants to the surface of the substrate material. The compositions and attraction process work on free oil (also called free-floating oil, which refers to non-dissolved hydrocarbons often appearing as globules/drops), oil in water emulsions and water in oil emulsions. The process and compositions usefully treat mechanically emulsified oil and chemically emulsified oil, as well as other products noted above. In the case of oil molecules suspended in an aqueous solution, the oil is attracted to the surface of the media impregnated with the composition where the oil will coalesce into larger particles. This action of transforming emulsified oil molecules into larger particles results in most of the oil becoming free floating product, i.e. converted from oil emulsified in water to coalesced oil globules. Once the media has been saturated with oil, any additional product entering the media will cause previously coalesced oil to release. This product will then either float to the surface of the liquid, if it is lighter than the carrier liquid, or sink to the bottom if it is heavier. This ‘capture and release’ feature is an important characteristic of the composition's capabilities for use in methods of the invention, as it allows equipment to be designed which can either capture the oil in the media for immediate disposal, such as disposable filters, or capture and release the oil (i.e. coalesced oil flows downstream) to a downstream separator unit such as a separator, a gravity oil water separator, such as an American Petroleum Institute (API) gravity oil water separator, skimmer. Other existing technologies are also useful, such as pumping or flowing oil off the water surface or using a pressurized vessel (e.g. 10-20 psi) in which oil collects near the top of the vessel and is forced out.

Another aspect of the invention relates to an apparatus for separating oil or oleophilic contaminants from a carrier, comprising media, filter or separator of the invention for contacting a first carrier flow of the carrier to absorb emulsified oil. Optionally, the media, filter or separator is received in a housing having an inlet an outlet in fluid communication. The media, filter or separator is located in the fluid flow path between the inlet and outlet.

Another aspect of the invention relates to an apparatus for separating oil or other oleophilic contaminants from a carrier, comprising:

-   -   an upstream media, upstream filter or upstream separator of the         invention for contacting a first carrier flow of the carrier to         absorb emulsified oil and produce a downstream second carrier         flow, wherein once the upstream media, upstream filter or         upstream separator becomes saturated with oil, it releases free         floating oil into the second carrier flow;     -   a downstream media, downstream filter or downstream separator         for receiving the second carrier flow and collecting the free         floating oil.

In the apparatus, the downstream separator optionally comprises a gravity oil water separator. The apparatus optionally comprises a housing having an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication. The upstream media, filter or separator and the downstream media, filter or separator are located in the fluid flow path between the inlet and outlet.

The two schematics below illustrate examples of embodiments of separation methods carried out with an apparatus of the invention containing media impregnated with a composition of the invention:

-   i) vemulsified oil in water→filter containing unsaturated     media→purified water -   ii) emulsified oil in water→filter containing saturated media→free     oil and water→gravity separator→purified water

In the capture and release embodiment, the oil can be collected and re-cycled, and the separator equipment can work indefinitely without requiring media replacement due to saturation. If one wishes to change filters before or after saturation occurs, one optionally monitors filters and separators to determine when saturation with oil will occur. To monitor filter or separator function, one can optionally use either a downstream oil content monitor on the discharge, or install several filters or separators in series. For example, filters may be installed in series in transparent or translucent cartridges. When oil flows through the saturated first filter, one can see the second filter starting to discolour. In a three filter series one can take out the saturated (contaminated) upstream filter from the first position and dispose of it. Optionally one replaces it with a new filter or one can take out the 2nd filter from the second position in the middle and move it to the first position. In a three filter series, one can also then take the 3rd filter and move it back to the 2nd position, and then put a new filter in the 3rd filter position downstream.

Since the composition can be applied to practically any media, it may be used in many different equipment arrangements and applications to achieve varying results. Examples of two different media materials to which the composition is optionally applied are granular perlite and polypropylene fabric. As noted above, examples of two different equipment arrangements and applications in which these different substrates can be used are filters and oil/water separators.

Media (also called substrate material) on which the compositions are stored are typically permeable solid materials, such as filters. For filters, polypropylene is one material commonly used. Polypropylene filters are manufactured in a variety of forms including string wound polypropylene, spun wound polypropylene and melt blown polypropylene. These filters are often manufactured as disposable cartridges, are often cylindrical in shape, and are typically installed inside rigid cartridge housings. They can also be bought in other shapes and forms. Cartridge filters are commonly used to remove particulate matter, oil or other contaminants from waste streams, usually via adsorption, absorption or filtering of the contaminant from the carrier liquid. Manufacturer's objectives when making such filters is to maximize the volume of contaminant which can be removed by the filter from a waste stream before it becomes saturated or clogged. In this respect, compositions of the invention can be applied to these filter materials to make them remove oil and other contaminants much more effectively. After a composition is applied to the filter, and oily water is passed through it, the filter will adsorb oil droplets and other contaminants from the waste stream onto the filter substrate, cleaning the water as it passes through. The amount and type of contaminants which the composition will remove through this process varies with the type of media used, its surface area, the size of pore spaces in the substrate material, the strength of formula applied, and the type of contaminant being removed. A larger filter surface will hold a larger volume of contaminant before saturating, and will provide more time for the attraction process to work, resulting in better removal efficiencies. Smaller pore spaces in the material improve removal efficiencies by forcing smaller contaminant molecules to pass closer to the treated substrate surface, resulting in a better attraction process. However, this improvement must be weighed against the fact that smaller pore spaces in many field applications will also result in the filter clogging up faster with unintended contaminants such as particulate matter, if they are present in the water. The contaminated water is optionally pressurized when it contacts the compositions, optionally at 100 psi or less, although pressures greater than 100 psi are also useful.

The compositions of this invention separate the oil contained in the chemical emulsion by changing it to a form which can coalesce with other oil particles to form free floating product through simple passage of the affected liquid through a substrate treated with the composition.

Some examples of applications where chemically emulsified oils presently pose problems for industry and in which the compositions and methods of the invention are usefully applied include:

-   -   In the bilge water of ships, chemical emulsions occur due to         washing down vessels with soapy (surfactant based) water, which         then ends up in the bilge of the ship. When this soap mixes with         the oil residues in the water, chemical emulsions are formed.         The compositions of this invention are useful in an oily water         separator to separate such emulsions from the bilge water in one         passive operation;     -   Car washes use surfactants to clean vehicles, and in so doing         wash oil and grease off the vehicles as well. These combine with         water to create chemical emulsions in the resulting waste         discharge;     -   Soil washing operations use surfactants and water to clean oil         from contaminated soil. The resulting discharge liquid from         these operations contains large amounts of chemically emulsified         oils which are costly to remove, rendering many soil washing         operations too costly, or technically and environmentally         challenging, to be used. The compositions of this invention are         useful to separate the chemical emulsions from the wash water         directly at the site of soil washing operations, making such         operations much more cost effective and technically feasible.     -   Residential and industrial waste discharges from buildings often         go into town sewerage and storm sewerage systems, ending up at         centralized waste treatment facilities. Significant amounts of         surfactants enter this discharge stream from the use of         detergents and soaps in domestic residences. Oil residues also         enter these discharges from various run-off sources, creating         chemical oil emulsions which are again difficult to remove at         the treatment plant.

Thus, the methods of the invention also relate to methods of separating oil, such as chemically emulsified oil, from bilge water, car wash waste water, soil washing waste water and residential or industrial building waste water, comprising contacting the water with a composition of the invention, for example, in media or a filter or separator containing a composition of the invention.

The ability of the compositions and methods of the invention to separate chemically emulsified oils in a simple and passive manner provides a practical solution for separation of oil and water. For example, surfactants can purposely be added to underground oil bearing reservoirs to improve oil recovery from the reservoirs at a lower cost, based on the fact that the oil and water can now be economically separated at the surface to produce water clean enough to discharge to the environment without further treatment.

The compositions and methods of the invention are also useful for separating other contaminants, such as sulphides, ammonia, phenols and grease, from waste water and other carriers. While oil pollution is a significant problem, industry, such as the petrochemical industry, also generates many other waste compounds which eventually find their way into a discharge stream to be disposed of into the environment. Many of these compounds have strictly regulated concentrations above which they cannot be discharged into the environment. This results in a need for industries to treat their effluent before disposing of it. The present invention removes all of the aforementioned contaminants in one simple operation. Most prior technologies involve costly systems incorporating a number of treatment processes including addition of chemicals, pH adjustment, coagulation, flotation, aeration, etc. Such systems are generally expensive to install and maintain. The present invention provides a simple and economical solution to purifying water of contaminants such as sulphides, ammonia, phenols and grease, with one process. In a preferred embodiment, these contaminants are removed from oily water. Thus, the methods of the invention also relate to methods of separating sulphides, ammonia, phenols and grease from water (for example, oily water, such as chemically emulsified oily water), comprising contacting the water with a composition of the invention, for example, in media or a filter, separator containing a composition of the invention.

Industry also generates many waste compounds containing heavy metals so effluent water has to be treated before disposal. Various technologies currently exist for removing heavy metals from water, but many are costly to install and maintain. The compositions and methods of this invention are effective in removing heavy metals, for example, through the process of running an aqueous fluid through a substrate treated with the composition. Thus, the methods of the invention also relate to methods of separating heavy metals from water (for example, oily water, such as chemically emulsified oily water), comprising contacting the water with a composition of the invention, for example, in media or filter, separator containing a composition of the invention.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Preparation of Composition

One liter of hydrocarbon resin (Nevtac-10; Neville Chemical Co.) was heated until it became less viscous (Nevtac-10 hydrocarbon resin softens at 10° C. so heating may not be necessary at warm room temperatures). Once the hydrocarbon resin was heated to a free flowing consistency, it was mixed with about 1.9 L of tung oil (two 946 mL containers of tung oil; Minwax Tung Oil Protective Finish; Minwax Company) in a plastic bucket.

A portion of the hydrocarbon resin/tung oil mixture was removed until approximately 1 L remained in the bucket (as measured by markings on the interior of the bucket). Impregnation composition was prepared by adding seven liters of camp fuel (naphtha; Escort Camp Fuel Iosol; Tri Leaf Distribution Trifuel) to the bucket to obtain a total volume of 8 L of measured according to markings on the interior of the bucket. The liquid in the bucket was a yellow-brown colour. Next, another 1 L portion of the hydrocarbon resin/tung oil mixture was combined with 7 L of camp fuel. Next, the remaining portion of hydrocarbon resin/tung oil (measured at about 0.5 L according to markings on the interior of the bucket) was mixed with 3.5 L of camp fuel. The hydrocarbon resin/tung oil and camp fuel could be mixed together to make a single batch of impregnation composition in one large bucket if desired.

An estimated 2.5 cubic feet of perlite (Premier Pro-Perlite; Les Tourbieres Premier Ltee) was provided in a plastic bag and the impregnation composition was poured into the bag. The perlite and composition were mixed by sealing and turning the bag for less than 5 minutes. Excess composition was drained by puncturing the bottom of the bag.

The perlite was then dried for 30 mins at 300 degrees Fahrenheit until some volatile components substantially evaporated to form media impregnated with cured composition.

The following examples represent oil removal results which can be achieved when the compositions of the invention are impregnated into particular substrates (media) at the specified water particular flow rates and other specified conditions. Many potential variations are readily made.

The compositions of the invention provide good removal efficiencies for oily water either containing chemical emulsions or not containing chemical emulsions. Examples of typical oil removal efficiencies achieved using the compositions on filters, in the presence of both chemically emulsified and non-chemically emulsified oils, are summarized in the example #2 and #3 results noted below.

Example 2 Oil Removal Efficiency Using the Composition on Disposable Cartridge Filters, in the Presence of Chemical Emulsions

Type of filter: Spun wound polypropylene cartridge filter. Size of filter: 250 mm high × 63.5 mm diameter, with a 25.4 mm diameter hollow core. Water flow rate: 9 L/min. Carrier fluid: Fresh water. Test fluid Mixture: 399 ppm oil in water, consisting of 77 ml of oil and 193 L of water. Oil type used: 70 ml of ‘Bunker’ C oil plus 7 ml of diesel oil. Density of oil mixture: 970 g/ml Surfactant used: 25 ml (129 ppm). Oil test equipment used: Electronic Oil Content Monitor, (Rivertrace Engineering, certified to MEPC.107(49)). Test fluid preparation: Water, oil and surfactant mixed continuously in large tank using a 3,500 rpm centrifugal pump, ensuring that no free oil is visible on the water surface throughout the test. Test Set-up: A submersible pump is placed in the tank and connected to a 12 mm diameter discharge hose. A vertical filter housing is placed in-line in this hose, downstream of the pump, and a poly- propylene filter cartridge is installed in the housing. An in-line Oil Content monitor is attached to the discharge hose downstream of the filter, to sample water quality discharging from the filter. Test procedure:

-   1. Weigh filter cartridge dry; -   2. Install filter cartridge in housing and feed clean water through     it at 19 L/min for 5 mins to saturate it with water; -   3. Activate the submersible pump, and pump the oily test fluid     through the filter cartridge. -   4. Record oil concentrations in the discharge water every minute.     Keep operating until an oil sheen is observed on the discharge     water, or a sustained rise in oil concentrations is observed in the     discharge water; -   5. Calculate the amount of oil removed by the filter from the volume     of water which went through the filter, and applying the amount of     oil which was removed (the difference between inlet and outlet oil     concentrations); -   6. Define oil removal efficiency of the filter as the percentage of     its dry weight which is removed in oil.     Test Results:

Time Inlet oil Discharge oil Reduction (min) concentration (ppm) concentration (ppm) (%)  1 399 0  n/a  2 399 24.3 93.9  3 399 25.9 93.5  4 399 26.7 93.3  5 399 27.2 93.2  6 399 18.4 95.4  7 399 14.4 96.4  8 399 14.1 96.4  9 399 14.6 96.3 10 399 15.0 96.2 11 399 15.1 96.2 12 399 15.9 95.7 13 399 17.1 95.7 14 399 18.1 95.5 15 399 18.7 95.3 16 399 19.1 95.2 17 399 19.3 95.2 18 399 20.0 95.0 19 399 20.1 95.0 20 399 40+  End of test Ave: 399 19.1 95.2 (to 19 mins) Amount of oil removed by filter = (19 mins × 9 L/min) × (399 ppm − 19.1 ppm) × 0.97 g/L = 63.0 grams Dry weight of filter = 190 grams Removal efficiency of filter with chemical emulsions as a percentage of the filter's dry weight = 63.0 g/190 g = 33.2%

Example 3 Oil Removal Efficiency Using the Composition on Disposable Cartridge Filters in the Absence of Chemical Emulsions, but in the Presence of Mechanical Emulsions

Type of filter: Spun wound polypropylene cartridge filter. Size of filter: 250 mm high × 63.5 mm diameter, with a 25.4 mm diameter hollow core. Water flow rate: 9 L/min. Carrier fluid: Fresh water. Test fluid Mixture: 393 ppm oil in water, consisting of 10 ml of oil and 25.5 L of water. Oil type used: 9 ml of ‘Bunker’ C oil plus 1 ml of diesel oil. Density of oil mixture: 970 g/ml Surfactant used: None Oil test equipment used: Electronic Oil Content Monitor, (Rivertrace Engineering, certified to MEPC.107(49)). Test fluid preparation: Water and oil mixed continuously in large tank using a 3,500 rpm centrifugal pump, ensuring that no free oil is visible on the water surface throughout the test. Test Set-up: A submersible pump is placed in the tank and connected to a 12 mm dia. discharge hose. A vertical filter housing is placed in-line in this hose, downstream of the pump, and a poly- propylene filter cartridge is installed in the housing. An in-line oil content monitor is attached to the discharge hose, downstream of the filter, to sample water quality discharging from it. Test procedure:

-   1. Weigh filter cartridge dry; -   2. Install filter cartridge in housing and feed clean water through     it at 19 L/min for 5 mins to saturate it with water; -   3. Activate the submersible pump, and pump the oily test fluid     through the filter cartridge. -   4. Record oil concentrations in the discharge water every minute.     Keep operating until an oil sheen is observed on the discharge     water, or a sustained rise in oil concentrations is observed in the     discharge water; -   5. Calculate the amount of oil removed by the filter from the volume     of water which went through the filter, and applying the amount of     oil which was removed (the difference between inlet and outlet oil     concentrations); -   6. Define oil removal efficiency of the filter as the percentage of     its dry weight which is removed in oil.     Test Results:

Time Inlet oil Discharge oil Reduction (min) concentration (ppm) concentration (ppm) (%)  1 393 0 100.0  2 393 0 100.0  3 393 2.6 99.3  4 393 4.1 99.0  5 393 2.6 99.3  6 393 1.9 99.5  7 393 2.7 99.3  8 393 3.4 99.1  9 393 2.9 99.3 10 393 0.4 99.9 11 393 0.7 99.8 12 333 0.9 99.8 13 393 1.0 99.7 14 393 1.1 99.7 15 393 1.7 99.6 16 393 1.7 99.6 17 393 0.9 99.8 18 393 0.4 99.9 19 393 0.5 99.9 20 393 0.7 99.8 21 393 0.2 99.9 22 393 0.2 99.9 23 393 0.3 99.9 24 393 0.6 99.8 25 393 0.4 99.9 26 393 0.4 99.9 27 393 0.5 99.9 28 393 0.5 99.9 29 393 0.0 100.0 30 393 0.0 100.0 31 393 0.2 99.9 32 393 2.2 99.4 33 393 2.0 99.5 34 393 2.2 99.4 35 393 2.2 99.4 36 393 2.9 99.3 37 393 1.7 99.6 38 393 2.2 99.4 39 393 3.0 99.2 40 393 3.7 99.3 41 393 0.9 99.8 42 393 0.9 99.8 43 393 1.9 99.5 44 393 2.4 99.4 45 393 1.4 99.6 46 393 1.9 99.5 47 393 2.4 99.4 48 393 3.3 99.2 49 393 50 393 0.9 99.8 51 393 2.5 99.5 52 393 3.4 99.1 53 393 3.4 99.1 54 393 1.0 99.7 55 393 1.9 99.5 56 393 2.1 99.5 57 393 2.2 99.4 58 393 0.7 99.8 59 393 1.2 99.7 60 393 2.6 99.3 61 393 1.9 99.5 62 393 1.2 99.7 63 393 2.1 99.5 64 393 4.9 98.8 65 393 1.0 99.7 66 393 1.9 99.5 67 393 2.2 99.4 68 393 2.4 99.4 69 393 1.1 99.7 70 393 2.9 99.3 71 393 3.1 99.2 72 393 3.9 99.0 73 393 3.1 99.2 74 393 0.1 100.0 75 393 0.9 99.8 76 393 3.2 99.2 Ave: 393 1.71 99.6 Amount of oil removed = (76 mins × 9 L/min) × (393 ppm − 1.71 ppm) × 0.97 g/L = 259.6 grams Weight of filter dry = 190 grams Removal efficiency of filter without chemical emulsions as a percentage of the filter's dry weight = 259.6 g/190 g = 137% (note: No sheen or elevated readings were recorded to this point, so removal efficiency would be higher if test was continued.)

When the filter becomes saturated with oil, it begins releasing oil to the downstream discharge. The particles released in this process are larger than when they entered the filter, as a result of coalescing of oil particles caused by the composition as they passed through the filter. This is important for non-filter applications, as it allows the filter to be used as a ‘conditioning unit’, instead of only as a filter, for coalescing small oil particles into larger droplets, and thereby changing emulsified oils into free floating product for more efficient removal by other downstream equipment.

In this regard, another preferred substrate material for the compositions of the invention is perlite, because of its high surface to weight ratio and porosity. This material provides increased surface contact areas for fluids passing through it, and can be used in treatment equipment as either large or small beds of granular material. Following treatment with the compositions, when oily water is passed through the perlite, it again attracts oil and other contaminants to its surface, where the oil molecules coalesce into larger droplets. These are held on the surface of the perlite until it becomes saturated, following which the coalesced droplets release into the downstream discharge as larger droplets. Most of these are then large enough to float freely (or sink, depending on the relative density of the oil and the carrier fluid being used). The extent of contaminant removal which can be achieved with perlite can be varied by altering the gradation of the substrate material (i.e. pore space size), the amount of perlite used, and the flow rate through the material.

As with the previous filter tests, oil removal efficiencies are different for chemically emulsified oils versus non-chemically emulsified oils. However, varying efficiencies for both can be obtained by combining different removal techniques and materials together. For maximizing removal of chemical emulsions, and providing a system which can operate indefinitely without its removal efficiency declining, a filter can be used as a conditioning unit upstream of a separator such as perlite separator. The filter in this arrangement causes the smaller oil particles to coalesce into larger droplets, and the separator downstream can then remove even chemical emulsions more efficiently. To illustrate this, an example of a typical test carried out using this arrangement is illustrated below;

Example 4 Oil Removal Efficiency Using the Composition, in the Presence of Chemical Emulsions, on a Combination Filter Cartridge and Perlite Separator Arrangement

Type of filter: String wound polypropylene cartridge filter. Size of filter: 500 mm high × 100 mm diameter, with a 25.4 mm diameter hollow core. Water flow rate: 19 L/min. Carrier fluid: Fresh water. Test fluid Mixture: Varied from 130 ppm to 728 ppm emulsified oil in water. Oil type used: Diesel oil. Density of oil mixture: 850 g/ml Surfactant used: 3.1 ppm. Oil test equipment used: Electronic Oil Content Monitor, (Rivertrace Engineering, certified to MEPC.107(49)). Test fluid preparation: Water, oil and surfactant were mixed continuously in a large tank, using a 3,500 rpm centrifugal pump, ensuring that no free oil was visible on the water surface throughout the test. Test Set-up: A submersible pump was placed in the tank and connected to a 12 mm dia. discharge hose. A vertical filter housing was placed in-line in this hose, downstream of the pump, and a polypropylene filter cartridge was installed in the housing. Downstream of the filter cartridge an enclosed vertical separator tank was installed, measuring 250 mm diameter by 760 mm high. A partial height partition was installed inside this tank to divide it into two equal compartments. The divider partition extended from the bottom of the tank up to an height of 500 mm. Any water entering the tank at the bottom had to travel up over the top of this partition, and down the other side to exit the tank. The tank was filled to the top of the partition on each side with treated granular perlite, leaving a space of 50 mm at the bottom to accommodate water entry. An in-line Oil Content monitor was attached to the discharge from this separator, to sample water quality discharging from it. Test procedure:

-   1. Pump the oily test water through both the filter and separator; -   2. Record oil concentrations in the water at the filter exit as well     as the separator exit; -   3. Continue pumping until oil concentrations in the discharge water     stabilize at a constant level; -   4. Define the oil removal efficiency of the separator as the oil     removal rate which can be maintained indefinitely by the system.

In the following test, the oil removal efficiency of the separator is defined as the removal rate which is achieved between the filter discharge and the separator discharge, not the filter inlet and the separator discharge. This was done intentionally to ensure that removal rates displayed here were testing only the removal rate for emulsified oils contained in the water. If the oil concentration of the filter inlet liquid was used in this calculation, the resulting removal rate would be significantly higher, as it would include some free oil as well, which would increase the total apparent oil removal rate.

Test Results:

Time Oil concentration Oil concentration Reduction (min) after filter (ppm) after separator (ppm) (%)  0 0 n/a  4 1.5 n/a  6 130 2.5 98.1  8 2.8 10 182 3.1 98.3 12 3.6 14 728 4.1 99.4 18 624 5.2 99.2 20 468 5.4 98.8 22 312 5.6 98.2 24 3.5 27 312 3.8 98.8 30 312 4.6 98.5 34 312 4.5 98.6 38 286 6.8 97.6 39 312 7.9 97.5 41 593 15.0 97.5 45 12.0 47 416 14.0 96.6 50 16.0 55 493 17.0 96.6 61 11.0 Ave: 495.2 7.14 98.6 Removal efficiency of system: This combination of equipment allows chemically emulsified oils to be removed at a rate of 98.6% versus the previous removal rate of 95.2% observed for the filter alone, in Example 2. This arrangement of equipment also allows the system to perform in this manner indefinitely, as opposed to the short time frame to saturation using a filter alone.

Another characteristic of the composition of the invention is that it can remove ‘water from oil’ as well as ‘oil from water.’ Test results carried out on the oil captured and released by the perlite substrate material above, and subsequently collected as free product, was found to have a water content of less than 0.5%, allowing the technology it to be used in methods for de-watering oil by contacting the oil with a composition, media, or separator of the invention.

Oil removal rates offered by compositions of the invention are affected by the substrate material used, as noted above, but also by the flow rate of fluid passing through the substrate material. Slower flow rates can cause an excessive build up of oil on the substrate material, resulting in reduced efficiency for attracting subsequent oil particles, while faster flow rates can cause reduced media contact time, thereby reducing the oil removal rate. A useful flow rate is readily determined based on the type and amount of substrate material used, and the type of contaminant involved.

Example 5 Sulphides/Ammonia/Phenols/Oil & Grease

The compositions are effective in removing sulphides, ammonia, phenols and oil & grease, all in one process, without addition of any chemicals to the water. To demonstrate this, a test was carried out on a liquid waste from an oil refinery, with the following results:

Test Procedure:

-   -   A 65 liter sample of waste fluid was obtained from the inlet to         the waste treatment plant, representing an oily/water inlet         mixture (test #1);     -   A 65 liter sample of waste fluid was obtained from the waste         treatment plant part way through its treatment process (test         #2):     -   A 65 liter sample of waste liquid was obtained near the end of         the treatment process (test #3):     -   Each of these samples was pumped through a coarse perlite media         treated with the composition of this invention. No conditioning         unit or filter was used in the this test;     -   Then water was tested before and after it passed through the         separator media for each of the above tests, with water samples         being sent to an accredited testing laboratory for lab testing.

Results of these tests were as follows:

Test #1: (Raw Inlet Fluid):

Inlet concentration Outlet Concentration Parameter (ppm) (ppm) Reduction TPH 17.0 4.3 75% Ammonia 5.4 1.9 65% Phenols 1.6 0.49 69% Sulphides 0.69 0.06 91% Test #2: (Midpoint of Treatment Process):

TPH 17.0 7.3 57% Ammonia 8.0 3.3 59% Phenols 0.89 0.30 66% Sulphides 0.44 Non-Detectable 100% Test #3: (End of Treatment Process)

TPH 0.2 Non-Detectable 100% Ammonia 0.47 0.30  36% Phenols 0.005 0.003 40% Sulphides Non-Detectable Non-Detectable —

If smaller gradation media treated with the composition of this invention was used above, it has been found that significantly improved removal rates would be obtained for all of the above compounds, as smaller media forces the particles closer to the coalescing surface, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the media in attracting the target molecules.

Example 6 Heavy Metal Removal

The compositions of the invention are effective in removing heavy metals through the process of running an aqueous fluid through a substrate treated with the composition. The following test was carried out to demonstrate this effectiveness:

Test Procedure:

-   -   1. A contaminated groundwater well was selected for testing         where the groundwater was known to contain elevated levels of         heavy metals;     -   2. A separator and pump system was installed near the well, and         groundwater was pumped through it for treatment;     -   3. The separator consisted of a cylindrical tank filled with 5.7         cubic feet of coarse perlite material treated with a composition         of the invention;     -   4. Water was continuously pumped through the separator for more         than 10 volume changes before any testing was commenced. Water         samples were then extracted at a point where the water entered         the separator and another point where it left the separator for         testing.

Results of these tests were as follows:

Inlet Outlet Parameter Concentration (ppb) Concentration (ppb) Reduction Aluminum 12 non-detectable  100% Arsenic 11 7.1 35.5% Barium 78 72  7.7% Cobalt 1.3 1.2  7.7% Iron 2400 68 97.2% Lead 52 17 67.3% Uranium 0.2 non-detectable  100% Zinc 17 13 23.5% The level of metals decreased by about 100% in the case of aluminum and uranium. Close to 100% of iron was removed.

The present invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments found or proposed by the present inventors to comprise preferred modes for the practice of the invention. It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that, in light of the present disclosure, numerous modifications and changes can be made in the particular embodiments exemplified without departing from the intended scope of the invention. All such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

All publications, patents and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference in its entirety. 

1. A method of separating oil contaminant or other oleophilic contaminants from a carrier comprising: contacting the oil contaminant or other oleophilic contaminants and carrier with a composition comprising a hydrocarbon resin and a drying oil; separating the carrier from the composition, wherein the oil contaminant or other oleophilic contaminants are retained on the composition; and wherein the carrier is separated from the composition by flowing the carrier under pressure through the composition.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure is 100 psi or less.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the carrier comprises water and the oil contaminant to be separated in the carrier comprises emulsified oil.
 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the emulsified oil comprises a mechanical emulsion or a chemical emulsion. 